


Blanket Cocoons

by RedlaSunShowers029



Category: A Choice with no Regrets - Fandom
Genre: Anthro/Furry AU, Anthropomorphobia, Blankets and cuddles, Catboy!Farlan, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Heartbeats, It came out more platonic than I was hoping but hope it's still alright, Pomeranian Girl!Isabel, Portrayed Farlan more as a fatherly figure I think, a little bit of Isa getting roughed up but other then that it's relatively light, and a bit of the implied stuff I borrowed from chapter 2 of ACWNR, basically that's what this is, i guess that's what it's called?, there's a little bit of that in here too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-31
Updated: 2015-05-31
Packaged: 2018-04-02 03:47:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4044700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedlaSunShowers029/pseuds/RedlaSunShowers029
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hope this isn't too messy- the majority was written at 3AM since for some reason my writing muse only wanted to write IsaFar while I'm sleep deprived.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Blanket Cocoons

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Iskrystaller](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Iskrystaller).



> Hope this isn't too messy- the majority was written at 3AM since for some reason my writing muse only wanted to write IsaFar while I'm sleep deprived.

There wasn't a soul who'd tell you that living in a place like the Underground wasn't terrible work. It seemed that with each step there came a falter, came a small skid along the way into the sheer pavement of the reality they lived. Such a place was notorious for a whole slew of dangers: crooks, swindlers, thugs- none of which were people anyone wanted to be around. Not even one of their own blood.

It was hard to run with a tail between the legs. Not often was the time to which the persistent crook decided to run from a fight instead of finishing it off, but even for one as stubborn as she there were felons in the streets she knew were too strong to stand a chance to. Often times, however, this came from experience- it wasn't often a peppy pup like her knew her limits even in such a dwelling. Call it arrogance, though it was truly just the way she'd been raised in a sense. Never had she felt as though there were people she couldn't take on with a comrade by her side, and yet... When those comrades were nowhere in sight, there was no restriction of her overly-blood behavior and therefore no way to get her to settle down. 

The band of crooks had long forgotten her now, though didn't hesitate to leave her some viscous "reminders" for her to "think about her place" in the dump of a city. Such a thing made her blood boil; they acted so smug, as though attacking someone like her was a pleasure of theirs. Though surely, sticking around longer would only lead to worse injuries, or perhaps even worse behaviors... But better not to think about that then, allowing her memory to lead her to the steps of the group's quarters. If she was lucky, no one would suspect her absence, and she'd be able to wipe off the ooze of her injuries alone.

Alas, that wasn't the case. 

No sooner had a scraped-up hand reached out for the handle and opened the door to the residence, she could see the form one of her comrades already; a pair of golden cat ears flicked from the sides of blonde locks, listening intently out from his location on the couch, a slender tail swishing in a mildly curious fashion. From the looks of it, he'd been expecting her- of course. She'd forgotten to mention the reason for her disappearance, hadn't she? The redhead silently swore at her idiocy, trying to figure out how long it'd take him to discover her injuries once he turned towards her. There it was again, that small, slight smile at her presence, tail swishing forward and ears perked in greeting. There was something that was, in a way, downright adorable about it... Though it wasn't long until the smile faded to give way to the man's concern. The man's tail lashed in worry, regaining some of his typical calm nature, though his eyes never left the apparently deep gashes on her forearms. "Please tell me you didn't go and visit the scum of the streets again, Isabel..." Even from the distance, it wasn't hard to see those furry ears flick back with unease.

"Whaddya mean? 'Course not!" The dog's eyes denied every scratch and scrape as she turned towards him, trying not to give off any sign of her injuries. And yet, it didn't take a genius to see the crimson spattering her chestnut vest and dripping down her cream-colored shirt. No, the truth was written across her clear as day with those horrendous bloody letters. Why was it this way, though? 

No more words were exchanged, no thoughts aiming to get across to the other, not even as the man stood and walked over, tail swishing side to side curiously for a moment or two until he reached her. A gentle hand set itself on the canine's cheek, a careful finger attempting to check the pain in each of the blood spattered wounds. The only response was a flinch, ears rearing back and wincing from the stinging. The look in her eyes by the time she mustered the courage to direct his gaze at him was one that was stripped of its typical rebellion, normal feistiness, general denial- no, there was something different in those eyes of hers, and it didn't take much observation or contemplation to match a handful of words to the expression: discontent, defeat. They weren't things he'd ever thought would plague the redhead so ferociously, and yet there they were, reflecting deeply in those verdant irises. However, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at her little lie- yes, he knew well it was all to cover up whatever had happened. "Isabel..."

The redhead shifted slightly, tail hanging limply at her side. It seemed a bit of that determination was rising up once more, only to fall again gradually with every step. His compassionate worry was enough to see, needing no clues of scent to pick up that much. It wasn't often this emotion was as pure as it was now- it wasn't as though she wasn't used to seeing and sniffing her way through the emotional barriers both he and Levi possessed (his being easier to make one's way around), and yet it'd never been so loosely concealed. She didn't say a word then, relaxing a bit with it, with the knowledge he was there, not even protesting one bit when a hand wrapped around her legs. Another arm wove its way around the dog girl's auburn locks, traveling down her shoulder carefully and picking her up likewise. Even then she made no protest: it made her feel a bit safer in a way. An arm absently wrapped around his strong neck, taking slight notice to the bashful flicking of his ears before speaking up a little: "Come on, now- I'll get those gashes of yours cleaned up for you." 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"How'd this even come about?" The words came out as a barely audible murmur, as if the cat was talking more to himself than the dog before him. A small roll of bandages snaked down his arm and into his hand, carefully rolling them around the recently cleansed wounds. His work was steady and methodic: conceal the wound carefully with gauze, never moving, never letting more than a small twitch from his tail now and then show from his scrutinization to the task at hand. It'd been fortunate the cuts and scratches weren't as deep as he suspected, though there were a handful that'd leave behind nasty scars, no doubt. Not as though it could be helped at this point. Though something hurt _him_ deeply about seeing her getting so roughed up: she was so full of light and life, so active and determined... Such a personality and a will was heartbreaking when it was damaged. Yes, she always seemed to snap back from it, though this time it was apparent that this time it'd take more time to heal. Though he was distracted momentarily by a slight tugging at the ribbon around the collar of his shirt. It didn't take but a single glance to see how the canine was, snuggling herself up against his chest- one of those things he knew tended to calm her. Time went on in silence, until finally her voice rose up once more, though heartbreakingly weaker than he'd ever heard before: "Hey, Far, could you wrap me up like you used to?" 

A small, light smile worked its way up the feline's lips at the mention- yes, he knew exactly what she was talking about. In times when the claws of human fiends didn't cut as deep into her flesh, when the sewer water wasn't as putrid and foul, when she'd first become one of their own, such a thing had been their custom. It started with tucking her in at night in the bed all three shared, and that was enough, staying snuggled close all at once. And yet, even though the Underground hell to which they lived provided enough of it, the young girl seemed to crave the darkness. She'd wrap herself up entirely in the single crimson cover they had for the winter, lined just slightly with enough warmth for the three of them- one of the few nice things they'd managed to obtain- and could stay like that for hours, though it seemed even then it couldn't satisfy her loneliness inside... And thus the habit of cuddling close commenced even when fully enveloped in the cover. But those were the days when the utmost assurance had been needed- was it truly that bad?

The cat's ears twitched at the notion, placing a hand delicately under Isabel's chin to look into her eyes once more. Yes, he hadn't been wrong: whatever happened not so long ago had indeed broken her. Just one look into those emerald irises and he could see it, what lay underneath all that energy and that up-to-no-good aura of hers. She was still a child, a child he'd come to love, and surely there wasn't a thing he wanted to deny her if he could help it. He couldn't help it. There was something charming about her even when she was mangled and broken inside. And so, carefully as could be, he leaned down just a little bit, tenderly allowing his lips to find their way to peck her on the cheek. "Wait right here- I'll go get the blanket," he murmured, carefully moving her off his lap and turning into the other room.

It wasn't long until she saw him again, striding in with a relatively large cover wadded up in his arms. From the looks of it, his composure still contained some minor hints of his previous worries, though for the most part they'd faded to reveal an almost relieved aura. He hesitated just slightly as he sat down beside the canine, unfolding the blanket on his lap and wagging his finger in signal for her to come closer, making her way over on top of the fabric with a small yip of sorts. A hand swiped at one of his ears, bringing it down ever so slightly for a small nip. "Cut that out, Isabel," the cat grumbled, shoving her off ever-so slightly. "You'll have to keep still if you want me to do this." He was met with a playful sigh, though didn't get more than another swipe or two before she ceased her little bats for the time being, snuggling closer and closer still before she felt the blanket shift slightly and find its way around her, slowly, gradually. The longer time went on, the more she could feel the bit of pressure on the outside, the more of her disappeared from his sight. The small subtle tears her eyes collected were wiped away, gently placing her own hand on the fabric, feeling it bind her in a warm hug bit by bit: her legs were the first to vanish, followed swiftly by her waist, torso, chest...

There wasn't a word that could describe the feeling now. The pain lessened; thoughts faded away as the small crack of light was covered by a firm yet gentle hand, feeling the plush fabric finally drape its way over her head, shutting her in darkness.

Yes, Farlan always seemed to know how much the little pomeranian enjoyed being held in such a way. There was something comforting about being held close, feeling strong yet gentle hands wrap around her in such a way. There were a number of things she adored about him, and yet his attentive, calming aura was one of her favorites. Even if they fought for what sometimes seemed an eternity on end, the bond always remained intact, never fading away for a second of their time together.

Curious emerald eyes looked back at the surroundings. The depth of the blackness surrounding was something she'd grown used to, something even welcomed at the end of a rough day. The heat was always one of the first thing she felt, the stuffiness of the closed-off little shelter of decadent softness. An almost woolen softness in a sense, constricting her movements in a sort of tight, yet welcome hug. From the outside, she could feel a small bit of pressure gently rub its way across her aching shoulder blades and the stiff muscles of her neck- a pressure she knew well to be the man outside her little cocoon trying to help loosen up aching muscles so the pain would lessen both physically and mentally.

Though why was it this hard? Time had always been rough for her, yes- they'd always known how difficult it was to live in a place as hellish as the Underground. At each and every turn, there were malefactors reaching out to hurt a pup like her. Perhaps it was something of their breed, their rare animalistic traits. It was this type of thing that made one uneasy of them, and even further, for the band of thugs, it was the thing that broke all trust strands with them. A hand flitted to a wound on her cheek, still stained slightly with the blood of her fight- one of many she'd faced on the streets. It was one she'd gained only about fan hour before, prior to the time she'd found her way back to him. No, it was a lonely road like this, a curse to be like this, shoved down to the lowest of the lower classes for their unique features. Such a harsh reminder made her cringe; ears flickered backwards, curled, fluffy tail standing motionless, trying to hide the anxiety of yet another day's strife even beneath the cocoon of fabric...

Ears perked up at the notice of the new sounds of her surroundings. They were things she'd always been able to pick up with her canine hearing, things she'd always acknowledged, and yet never felt so closely. Small, contented gurgles and growls from the man's stomach; the slight, almost apprehensive strain of each breath taken in, followed by the calm air of each exhale; the small shift of fabric every time he moved; though most of all, a small, steady call of a pulse, thumping and throbbing somewhere deep within him. From within the dark chamber around her, a hand felt for the beat inside the strategist's chest, laying an ear against it in hopes of continuing to hear it. It was an understatement to say that the Underground was a hell on earth, and yet it didn't seem as much a burden when shared amongst the pair she'd grown attached to over the years. The redhead's face poked up from the small, comfortable place, ears flicking back slightly with mild concern. "Farlan...?"

She got little response for the first few minutes, watching intently as that apprehensive calm softened a little further in those cerulean eyes. Yes, Isabel was more than a small handful, always one to get herself into trouble- these were things he and Levi both had grown accustomed to over time. And yet, even under that rebellious, mischievous attitude, it was more than obvious to him she was sweeter than any other person he'd met. So determined, so lively, and yet so fragile in her own regard... It was something that drew him to a rather protective state, one that couldn't be denied in the slightest. Perhaps it wasn't as notable as his shorter companion's, though it was there, equally strong if not more so. A careful hand placed itself on her head, ruffling the girl's messy auburn hair and rubbing at tired canine ears. "What is it you need from me?"

Her ears twitched slightly at the small touch, though absently leaned into his gentle strokes. Sometimes it might seem like a pain to see how he often took to acting like a parent or a brother to some degree, but now it was all too comforting... Just feeling his presence was enough to set her nerves to rest. "I just wanted'ta make sure yer still here," Isabel mumbled, reluctantly speaking up once more with the answer to his earlier inquiry: "Ya wanted'ta know what happened earlier... I was gonna go see if I could find anythin' that wouldn't be too hard to steal- I kinda-" The redhead shifted herself back, ears drooping with regret. "- Snuck out without telling ya or Levi. Thought I might surprise ya guys, n' get some of the materials we needed, though..." Isabel gritted her teeth. "I mighta gotten jumped. Couldn't get a damn thing 'fore they were on me. Thought I could fend 'em off, though they managed to get my knife outta my hand n'... N' they tried'ta..." By now, the girl was shaking, burying herself deeper into the bundle of fabric. 

Farlan's face was a distorted mess of horror. "They didn't-!" He couldn't quite believe it. It was indeed a thing that could make even someone as plucky as her weak to her knees, that was for sure. However, he'd never expected for it to be as severe as it now presented itself- even the thought of such a thing sickened him to his core- though it was all too obvious now why it'd left her so mangled and broken. 

"Nope. Didn't get a chance- I bit 'em n' ran... Though they were so close to it..." A massive shudder ran along her spine, freezing her mid-sentence with the memory. "If I see 'em again, I'll beat the crud outta 'em..." There it was again, her passionate, fiery spark, though it fizzled out but a moment later, slipping back into the grasp of the blanket's refuge. "I won't give 'em another chance to-" Her words stopped abruptly as she felt a nervous hand slip in between the folds of fabric into the small blanket cocoon, delicately working its way under her shirt and scratching lightly at the tense spots of her back. The canine's ears perked up, then ever so slowly relaxed a bit at this new feeling. It was one she'd gotten adjusted to gradually, and yet, even from what had happened it simply felt so _good_ \- was hard to keep her mind on such a harsh topic with the comfort rising up once more. And so the pomeranian shifted slightly to the side within her little cocoon, making herself easier to reach. The back scratching went on for some time, soothing her more than she'd ever let on- or more so than she wanted to let on: for the more she felt the gentle massage, the sleepier and sleepier she got... It'd been a rough day, and she couldn't help but drift off more and more the comfier she got.

Even Farlan's nervousness was fading away. Yes, he wished there was a way he could help more fully, a way to which he could make it better... Though to some extent he knew Isabel would have to figure out how to survive in the Underground on her own, for they wouldn't always be with her. It hurt and stung to imagine, and yet he knew it was true. Even though she had a long way to go, neither of her comrades suspected she'd be lost forever. _One day, you'll figure all this out- I'm sure of it. But for now, just try to get around as well as you can... And don't let anyone take away that wonderful light of yours. If you'd just be a little more careful..._ From inside the blanket, he could see a happily wagging tail, alongside a small snore to interrupt his thoughts. Even in spite of himself, he couldn't help but feel a massive grin slide its way onto his face. _For now, just relax- I'll keep you safe and warm until you're ready to go out efficiently on your own. Until then, I won't let anyone hurt you..._

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry I'm so late to write something for you, my friend- I know how hard it is to lose a parent as I've gone through that pain before, and so I tried my best to whip this up for you, using some of the tropes that calm me down the most when things don't seem right with the world, and I hope this can help you as well. Best of wishes.


End file.
